Warrants for Installing and Operating Ramp Metering (0-5294-S)

Texas and many other states are increasingly using ramp metering as a traffic management strategy; however, no formal warrants currently exist to aid engineers in deciding when to install or remove ramp meters, or when to operate existing meters. The objective of this research project is to develop warrants and operations guidelines that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) can use for determining: (1) when to install a ramp meter; (2) when to remove a ramp meter; and (3) when to activate and deactivate ramp meter control. In the first year of this two-year study, we will use simulation to develop draft warrants for installing and removing ramp meters and to produce draft guidelines for determining how to operate a ramp meter once it is installed. During the second year of the project, field studies will be performed at select locations to validate the draft warrants and operations guidelines. A guidebook will be developed that will contain the installation and removal warrants as well as the guidelines for determining how to operate ramp meters in Texas.